Build A Strong LinkedIn Profile While In Peace Corps
Your Peace Corps service is more than a job. It’s proof that you can lead, adapt, and work across cultures. But unless you show that clearly, hiring managers won’t know what your service actually involved.
Here’s a simple guide to help you update your LinkedIn profile so it reflects the full value of your Peace Corps experience.
📍Headline: Be clear and searchable
Your headline appears next to your name. Use this space to say what you do and where.
✅ Best format:
“Peace Corps Volunteer | Community Health Educator in Botswana”
“Peace Corps Volunteer | TEFL English Teacher in Cambodia”
Avoid vague titles like “Volunteer” or “Change Maker.” Employers search by keywords, so include your technical area and country if possible.
🖊️ About section: Tell your story
This is where you explain what you’re doing, who you're helping, and why it matters.
✅ What to include:
Your primary project work
Any secondary projects or grants
Skills you’re building (project management, cross-cultural communication, leadership)
Your passion or motivation
✅ Example starter:
> I’m currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, working on environmental education and community sustainability. I partner with local schools and youth clubs to teach ecological practices and support tree-planting initiatives. I’ve also led a grant-funded waste management project in partnership with the local government.
Write in the first person. Keep it simple and direct.
📍Experience section: Add Peace Corps as your current job
Use “U.S. Peace Corps” as the company name so the official logo shows up.
✅ Job title format:
Peace Corps Volunteer – Youth Development
Peace Corps Volunteer – Education Sector
✅ Location: Use your assigned city or village and country.
✅ Dates: Use your service start date to present (or end date if you’ve COSed).
✅ Description (bullet format recommended): example
Facilitated after-school programs for 80+ students focused on leadership and life skills.
Trained 12 teachers on interactive classroom methods using local materials.
Wrote and managed a $2,000 Peace Corps Partnership Program grant to support youth entrepreneurship.
Collaborated with local counterparts to design and implement workshops on gender equity.
Use strong verbs. Keep it specific. Show outcomes.
📸 Featured section: Highlight projects and media
Use this to showcase:
Project photos
Blog posts
Videos
PCPP fundraising links
Media coverage (if any)
Even just one photo or link adds depth to your profile.
💬 Recommendations: Ask before you COS
Before you leave post, ask trusted colleagues, counterparts, or PC staff to write a LinkedIn recommendation. These short testimonials show your impact from other people’s perspectives.
✅ Tip: Offer to write a draft—they’ll appreciate the help and may just copy and paste with edits.
✅ Other quick wins
Add languages you’re learning under “Languages”
Add “Peace Corps Volunteer” under “Volunteer Experience” too, especially if you want to show continuity with earlier service
Join the Peace Corps Network group for visibility and support
Use a clear, smiling headshot with a clean background
Upload a banner photo—this could be a meaningful image from your site
Final thoughts
You don’t need a perfect LinkedIn profile. You just need a real one. A profile that clearly says: Here’s what I’m doing. Here’s who I’m helping. And here’s what I’m learning.
That’s what employers want to see.
And if you ever need help with a project, a job, or a connection—your updated profile will already be doing some of the work for you.
For more tips like this, subscribe and also check out WanderingTheWorld.com
Other Links: Start Posting About Your Peace Corps Service Now